Adele is named Songwriter Of The Year for the second time. Pic: Christopher Macsurak/Creative Commons

Adele is once again named Songwriter Of The Year, with Damon Albarn, Jamie Lawson and Villagers also among the winners

Today saw the 61st annual Ivor Novello Awards ceremony take place at London’s Grosvenor House, rewarding the excellence in British and Irish songwriting and composing. Presented by BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors) and judged by the UK songwriting and composing community, the best songs, songwriters and outstanding contributions were announced.

After returning with her record breaking third album 25 – which is closing in on global sales of 20 million – Adele has once again been named the Ivor Novello Awards Songwriter of the Year. She first won the award in 2012 and via video message, had this to say on her second triumph: “I won it on my last album as well… but I was secretly pregnant, so I didn’t enjoy the night too well. To win it this time is truly, truly humbling.”

Damon Albarn picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was considered a fitting honour by the man who handed him the prize; fellow Blur member Graham Coxon, who declared that Albarn has: “fitted in two lifetimes of work… so far.” Speaking of winning the award, Albarn explained: “What is songwriting? What is it all about? True songwriters are people who are able to release themselves from something that’s really affected them by writing a song about it. Some of us see it as going to church, some of us see it as going to work, but at the end of the day, if you’re not connected to the spirit you’re not making true music. Thank you for this extraordinary, life-affirming honour.”

Also among the winners were Snakehips ft Tinashe & Chance The Rapper (Best Contemporary Song for All My Friends), James Bay (Most Performed Work for Hold Back The River), Portishead (PRS for Music outstanding contribution to British music) and Jamie Lawson (Best song musically and lyrically for Wasn’t Expecting That).

We at Songwriting offer our congratulations to all the winners, who can be seen in full below: